PLA Award Programs

Deadline: December 1, 2012 at 12:00 AM Central.

PLA’s awards programs honor those providing public library service whose vision and accomplishments are extraordinary and deserve recognition. To submit an application or nomination, please login to the PLA Awards Online Application. The awards include:

• Allie Beth Martin Award: Honors a public librarian who has demonstrated extraordinary range and depth of knowledge about books or other library materials and has distinguished ability to share that knowledge. A plaque and a $3,000 honorarium are awarded.
• Baker & Taylor Entertainment Audio Music / Video Product Award: Designed to provide a public library the opportunity to build or expand a collection of either or both formats in whatever proportion the library chooses. The grant consists of $2,500 of Audio Music or Video Products.
• Charlie Robinson Award: Honors a public library director who, over a period of 7 years, has been a risk taker, an innovator and/or a change agent in a public library. The award consists of $1,000 and a gift.
• DEMCO New Leaders Travel Grant: Designed to enhance the professional development and improve the expertise of public librarians new to the field by making possible their attendance at major professional development activities. Plaques and travel grants of up to $1,500 per applicant are awarded.
• EBSCO Excellence in Small and/or Rural Public Library Service Award: Honors a public library serving a population of 10,000 or less that demonstrates excellence of service to its community as exemplified by an overall service program or a special program of significant accomplishment. A plaque and a $1,000 honorarium awarded.
• Gordon M. Conable Award: Honors a public library staff member, a library trustee, or a public library, that has demonstrated a commitment to intellectual freedom and the Library Bill of Rights. The award consists of $1,500 and a plaque.
• Highsmith Library Innovation Award: Recognizes a public library’s innovative and creative service program to the community. A plaque and a $2,000 honorarium are awarded.
• Polaris Innovation in Technology John Iliff Award: Recognizes the contributions of a library worker, librarian, or library that has used technology and innovative thinking as a tool to improve services to public library users. The award provides a $1,000 honorarium, a plaque and a bouquet of roses for the workplace.
• Romance Writers of America Library Grant: Designed to provide a public library the opportunity to build or expand its romance fiction collection and/or host romance fiction programming. The grant consists of $4,500 to be used toward the purchase of print or audio books and programming expenses. 

NEH National Digital Newspaper Program

Deadline: January 17, 2013

The National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP) is creating a national digital resource of historically significant newspapers published between 1836 and 1922, from all U.S. states and territories. This searchable database will be maintained at the Library of Congress and freely accessible online.

One organization within each U.S. state or territory will receive an award to collaborate with relevant state partners in this effort. Previously funded projects will be eligible to receive supplements for continued work, but the program will give priority to new projects. In particular, the program will give priority to projects from states and territories that have not received NDNP funding.

In the last five competitions the National Digital Newspaper Program received an average of fifteen applications per year. The program made an average of eleven awards per year, for a funding ratio of 73 percent.

The application and more details are provided on the NEH website.